BigTop Age
by Starspuzzle
Summary: Dick Grayson has his moments under the tent.
1. Chapter 1

**Characters belong to DC**

 **Author's note: I went to the circus a few days ago and been wanting to write this**

The spring has made its way to the world. On a train painted with a symbol and text saying 'Haley's circus', can be heard the scream of a woman.

"NO! YOUR HANDS ARE DIRTY!" John Grayson lecture to the muted clown. He gets that they are just trying to help but right now they're more like getting in the way so he shoo them away.

Mary Grayson scream again and John turn around with a deep breath. "Don't worry, I got this covered." The circus owner, Haley said. He set his top hat aside and put on his serious face.

Soon enough after blood and sweat has been shed, the crying of a baby can be heard and everyone breath a sigh of relief and immediately their tense turn into a curiosity.

Haley look at the boy like he is his own grandchild. He bundle him with a clean towel and give him to his mother. "Look just like you, John." Haley said with proud.

John and Mary look at their own baby and their smile couldn't be the widest. "So, have you thought of a name?" Mary caress the baby cheek "Richard John Grayson" John laugh at the mention of his name "John Jr.…welcome to the world." This time Mary laugh "I was thinking we could nickname him Dick. Like you know in the 1950s time" he kiss his wife forehead "Sounds good to me."

Not long after, John come out of the trailer with the baby to be show off to everyone else. When they saw John, the immediately run to him, waiting to see the newcomer. "Meet your family, Dick." And from distant afar you can hear Chuck Grayson shouted "We're not playing the Lion King song?" and everyone just laugh. _Welcome to the world, Dick_.


	2. Chapter 2

2 years old and already holding a knife on his hand, Dick Grayson focus on the target ahead. A red and white spiral. Aiming for the center, he take a deep breath like the knife thrower told him to and finally give it a shot. To his disappointment, the knife didn't land where it had been deemed.

Yuri pat his back. "Its ok little one, You'll get it someday."

"Dick?" Yuri turn around to his suprise and quickly hide Dick away. Soon enough John rounded up the corner "Any chance you seen Dick?" Yuri is a good knife throwers but that doesn't mean he's a good liar and John can see right through him. "Dick, come out!" Dick pop up behind the trees. "Hey tati."

John cross his arm, looking non to please. But at his son sadness look he just can't get angry. He shake his head and turn to Yuri "Don't be a bad influence will you." He pat Yuri's back and walk away with Dick duckling behind him.

"Now, Dickie. What did I told you?" John asked the boy who look down in shame. "Not to throw knife" John only do a silent treatment so that the boy could reflect on his action. "Sorry." John ruffle his son head. "Someday Dickie, maybe." At this the boy lite up.

Suddenly a trunk envelop itself on Dick's form and lift him up. "Hey there Zitka!" The elephant put him on top of its body for a ride. "Good girl!" he pat her with delight.

"Ah there she is!" Berto said while panting. "Zitka! C'mon girl, Its bath time."

Then Mary step out of the trailer that is marked with the Flying Grayson poster. Although Dick hasn't join the act yet, the poster still showed 3 people in total. "What a perfect timing, Its also Dick's bath time. Berto, if you please."

Berto bow with his imaginary top hat. "My pleasure"

"Yeah! Bath time!" the toddler shouted with joy.

Berto lead the elephant to a giant bathtub and it landed with a splash. "Help me out will you, Little Robin." He hand him the equipment needed and immediately get to work. "After this, Zitka will be pretty. Maybe we can take her to see the town."

Berto laugh "I think the people wouldn't appreciate that."

Dick crook his head in confusement "Why is that?"

"Well…Elephants in the town are not really a normal sight beside the civilians are going to be spook with Zitka without any professional holding a leash." Berto explained.

"But we will be there, without the leash cause Zitka is a half-smart girl" Zitka spray water through her trunk in protest and Dick immediately correct his sentence "Very, very smart I mean!" he giggle.

Berto laugh at the scene "I think they're still going to be afraid, Dick."

"Wait, so if it is on the circus area who have professionals, without any leash, they're not afraid?" Dick asked innocently. Berto eyes wide in realization. "You know what, you got a point."

"That does not answer my question." Dick replied.


	3. Chapter 3

At three year of age, Dick hang on to his father's back. John is going up the ladder to reach the platform of the trapeze act and he want Dick to hold on tight. The more further the ground is, the happier Dick is.

Finally Dick and his father reach the platform, on the other side is his mom, waving at him. "Mamica!" his mom blow him a kiss.

"You remember what Tati told you right?" John asked for reassurance. Dick nod furiously, excited for the first time that he's going to swing on the trapeze with his parent. He has been practicing on the swing bar.

Just for this once, they put up the safety net for Dick. The boy regards them as an insults to his skills but it was his parents request and right now he believe that his parents knows everything.

John and Mary begin to swing and when they believe that they reach the momentum needed, John call on Dickie to join their act. "Just jump, you'll be fine."

Dick knows, how high the trapeze is. But he never actually see it from this point of view before and he look at the ground beyond the net. Someday they're going to take the net off, to Dick's realization and he's just start to think the what if question.

"Dick, look at me!" His father voice brings him out to reality once more. "You can do this." His father reassured him.

Dick take a deep breath and at the right time, he force his feet to jump off the platform with hands reaching out.

Slowly. Or was it fastly? It seems slow to Dick. Hands reaching. Fingers gracing. Michael Angelo would picture this as a worthy painting. John finally got him on a firm grip and all heaven cheer. "YEAH! LITTLE ROBIN!" come from below.

Dick finally open his eyes and look at the ground, at the audience. Clowns, Bearded lady, Ringmaster and animals cheering him up with whistles and shouts.

Dick look up at his father both literally and figuratively and saw the face that cheering him on. And 10 years from now or even 50 years, Dick will remember that face.

"Get ready, your mamica will catch you now." Dick gulp and his father let go and let the Robin soar safely to his Mother's grip. Even meters away from the ground, he can't feel any safer.


	4. Chapter 4

Tomorrow is Christmas. Tomorrow is Christmas and he can't believe it. Dick run his sleeves on the foggy window. "It's snowing!" he shout to his parents.

He run back to the bedroom on their small trailer. 2 bulge can be seen underneath the cover of the bed. There were giggles and laughter. Dick feel jealous immediately. They're having fun without him.

So with a flip he land on the bed and continue to jump up and down. "What are you guys doing?" he asked out of curiosity. How does one no, two play underneath a bed cover? Wouldn't it be dark and hard to move around?

Head poke up from the blanket "Hey little Robin" her mom greet her. She look a bit reddish and there's sweat. Dick notice the same thing apply for his dad. With one eyebrow crocked upward he said "Are you two sick?" now he's worried. Dick crouch and feel both of their forehead and found they are heating up.

But they were laughing and giggling. One does not giggle when they are sick. Right? Ah but it doesn't matter. To Dick's mind they are sick. "You guys just lay down, I'm going to prepare breakfast." John and Mary see each other and communicate through eye contact.

"Oh dear, my head ache." Wailed Mary out of the blue. To John it is clearly she's faking it but Dick seems to buy the lie and immediately run towards the kitchen saying something about soup.

When Dick is out of sight, both lover look at each other and laugh silently. "Oh I hope he doesn't ruin the kitchen." Mary lay down her head on the pillow. John caress his lover cheek and wonder how he manage to be so lucky.

A second later they heard the clang of metals and a cry. John and Mary get up and put on their bathrobe and rush to see what happen. They found Dick, laying on the kitchen floor, crying with a can soup littering the floor.

"Dick!" Mary scoop him off from the ground and bounce the boy to calm him down. But Dick keep on crying until Mary's bathrobe wet from snout and tears. John quickly checking Dick over for injuries and found an ugly black and blue on his forehead.

Looking at the crime scene, John assume that Dick was trying to reach a can soup in the cabinet but fell and the can hit his forehead. He can't help but smile. It seems funny not to mention his boy ugly crying face. Mary caught him and slap him lightly yet a smile also grace her face.

"Daddy, that soup can is a bad thing!" Dick said when he finally calm down.

"How so, Dick? It provide us food." John logically countered with amusement in his tone.

"It hit me in the face." Dick seems irritated that John can't stop laughing.

On 25th December, the circus members gather along to exchange gifts. Some of them didn't celebrate the holiday but still join in anyway. The clowns help Dick to cover his black and blue face excellently. So in 10 more years when someone found a photo of the circus folk around a huge Christmas tree with Dick looking like a human Rudolph, Dick would have a story to tell.


	5. Chapter 5

Dick wakes up to the sound of the bird chirping. He sit up and stretch like he always do. Then it happen, his sleepy eyes grow wide with energy as he realize what today is. First day of spring. His own birthday.

He got up and run towards his parents bedroom to find that they're not there. Not losing hope he look for his parents everywhere. 'Maybe they shrunk like in the movie. Honey! I shrunk the kids.' Dick thought. But after an expedition around the trailer and the entire circus he found none of their whereabouts.

Thus he go back to the trailer and finally notice the stack of pancake. His stomach growl tells him to sit and eat but he just couldn't find it in his heart. His parents has forgotten his birthday and left him all alone. That must be it. The world is crashing down.

Got nothing to do anyway, Dick sit and stare at the pancakes. He found a note next to it that says 'We gone to the market. See you later.' They went to the market. Without him. Without their own son. That hurts. Really not feeling like eating, he go to his bed and mop about his awful birthday. Today is awful for Dick. His stomach continue to growl and his heart continue to ache. He won't cry. He's 8 today and he's grown up now. Dick mop until he fell asleep.

He doesn't know how long he slept but all he knows is there's someone on the door. The repeated knocking prove that. Wiping his drool, Dick walk to answer the door. Must be his parent. Whatever, hey forgotten. Birthday are not important anyway.

It hurts when he open the door to find Hank the Clown and still no sign of John and Mary Grayson. "Hey Kid! Come help me out would you? I need someone to teach the new clown how to stand on a yoga ball. Ha!" even Hank doesn't remember his birthday but then again, Hank is always forgetful in his mid 40s.

Dick comply with the clown and follow him towards the big tent. "Hurry up Kid!" Hank seems cheerful today. Hank is never this cheerful. But guess if he's happy then its okay.

When Dick go inside the tent he was greeted with a shout of "SURPRISE!". Dick can't help the giddiness he was feeling. He bounce and squeal in excitement. "You guys didn't forget!" he exclaimed.

Mary and John go towards him and hug him real tight. "Happy birthday, little Robin!"

Berto meanwhile feeling a bit insulted. "C'mon Dickie, you think we forget. We were there when you were born. Most exciting day of our live. We'll never forget."

"Berto is right" John said.

Hally raise his glass "To Dick. Big Top has never been more alive."


	6. Chapter 6

Dick didn't understand. He didn't understand when the police tells him that it's going to be okay. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. Dick can't get himself to think anymore.

He looks at his hand, covered in blood that weren't his. But it was his. Isn't he the flesh and blood of the one with this blood. Honestly, Dick feels numb and just want to wake up and find that his parents are still there to say good morning.

Dick didn't know what to feel when they take away his parents to the ambulance, covering their faces with a white sheet. Guess he's supposed to break down and cry about it, but he just can't. He just can't.

Dick doesn't understand when they lower the box to the ground. Maybe his parents are going to a deep sleep. Must be grown up thing.

The police said something about taking him in to the Juvie cause the social service is full. He heard the Juvie is for bad kids. Maybe he has been bad, he doesn't know.

Dick just know that he is being shove around by other kids that wear orange outfit similar as his. The guards just watch, making a bet on who win and who not.

He's waiting for his parent. His parent would take him home someday. Yeah, that's it. No way Mary and John are abandoning him to this place. They love Dick. They said it millions times ever since he was born.

He's transferred to a Catholic orphanage. It was no different. He still get shove around. His parents haven't arrive yet to this day but Dick hadn't lost hope. They're on their way, Dick believes.

Seasons changed, there is no sign of Mary and John. Dick still hope.

The man was called Bruce Wayne, they said. Maybe this man will take Dick to his parent. Yeah, he's going to meet them now. Finally, it has been a long time. But the path they take is getting dimmer, darker. The manor looks large and scary nothing like the warmth of the circus.

An old man greets him. Alfred is his name. Alfred Pennyworth. The old man led him up the stair and show him around the gothic manor.

"What's wrong, Master Richard?" Alfred always calls him Master for some reason. He was no master. He is just a child. Dick is just a child waiting for his parent to take him home. But it seems clearer now. "They're not going back to get me are they?"

Alfred sighs. He hates to tell the boy, but "I'm afraid not, Richard."

Dick knows how to feel now and he cry.


End file.
